


coffee shops and hasty enemies

by moth_writes



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:47:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29684889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moth_writes/pseuds/moth_writes
Summary: Coffee Shop/Normal AU COE for simonspeaks!Simon works in a coffee shop and hates the bloke with the long orders. Baz comes to the same coffee shop every day to see the barista that seems to think they're enemies.
Relationships: Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42
Collections: Baz's Birthday Exchange





	coffee shops and hasty enemies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [simonspeaks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/simonspeaks/gifts).



> Gift for @isthisagoodkiss on Tumblr! I used the prompts Normal AU and Coffeeshop AU!
> 
> Hope you like it :)
> 
> (And happy birthday Baz! 🎉🎉)

SIMON

He comes in at the same time every day.

The tall bloke, with the dark hair and the posh clothes. We’ve never spoken, but I know his name.

Baz Pitch. 

He doesn’t know he’s my mortal enemy.

I don’t do register. It takes me twice as long to get through a sentence-my stutter amps up when I try to talk to strangers, sometimes-and Ebb’s good about letting me stay in the back. I make coffee, and bake scones and biscuits, and it’s the best job I’ve ever had.

Except for Baz.

I hate him.

  
  


BAZ

I always go to the same coffee shop on my way to class.

I know why. I can deny it all I want, but Simon Snow, who works behind the counter, is  _ exactly  _ my type. And I am a weak, stupid man and bronze curls and broad shoulders are my downfall.

Their coffee isn’t all that good, either. Too strong-I generally enjoy strong coffee, but this is like swallowing tar. I drown it in sugar and cream in whatever concoction I create. (I stand at the counter for far too long, detailing it.)(He’s always standing in the back, scowling and growling at me and I can watch him then.)

I get my coffee-something especially sweet today, to get me through my exam-and I indulge my Snow-watching habits. I’m almost late, though, so I have to content myself with a glance thrown back over my shoulder as I leave.

He’s still watching me.

I sneer. He scowls.

It’s perfectly routine.

I almost hate it.

  
  


SIMON   
  


The next time he comes in I’m ready. 

I’ve convinced Trixie to let me have the register for a few minutes while he orders. It’s almost the end of my shift-ten minutes later and my bargain with Trixie would be useless. (She made me switch Saturday shifts with her, so I’m in the afternoon instead.)(I have to cancel on movie night with Penny and Agatha, but I don’t actually mind much.)

“Baz,” I say when he steps up to the counter. He raises a perfect brow. 

“Snow,” he drawls. “What are you doing taking orders? I didn’t think you were literate enough for that.”

I roll my eyes. “What do you want, Pitch?”

He grins and I know I’m in trouble before he even starts rattling off an order longer than I’ve ever had to do before.

I’m stumbling my way through it, and I make him repeat it four times. Half because I want to see if he’ll remember everything, and half because I need it.

I get it all down and motion for Trixie to take over again. She does, looking between me and Baz with interest.

She’s a bit nosy, but I don’t really mind. She’s mostly nice, and I think it makes up for it.

I go to make Baz’s weird drink and I burn myself twice doing it. I  _ never  _ burn myself. I bet it’s because he’s standing there, staring at me with that sharp little smirk. I hate it.

I finish his drink,  _ finally _ , and bring it to where he’s waiting. He’s already paid Trixie while I was making it-I’m terrible at using the register, it always breaks when I try-so all he has to do is take it and go.

  
  


BAZ   
  


He sets my coffee down and scowls. It’s wonderfully rude, all of it.

“I just have one question, Snow,” I say. I’ve been wondering for months. I know I was more than a bit mean to him when we met-I panicked-but I’ve seen Snow. He doesn’t seem the type to declare a passionate hate over something like that.

I don’t continue, and he scowls harder. 

“What?” he snaps. I sneer.

“What did I do-beside exist as my perfect self, of course-to make you hate me?”

He blinks. “You flirted with my ex-girlfriend, when we were dating! And I don’t care about that, it happened all the time, but you refused to admit it and insulted me when I asked!”

He spits in with more vitriol than I thought he could. I frown at him. 

“Snow, I can assure you I never flirted with your girlfriend, ex or otherwise.”

He stares at me, stupidly. I hate how much it amuses me.

“Then what were you doing with her?” He demands, stuttering a bit. I don’t remark on that-it feels like it would be too far, somehow.

I sigh. “What time are you off, Snow?”

He blinks, clearly caught off-guard. “What?”

“What time is your shift over?” I repeat, and I make an effort not to sound scornful. I’d rather not enforce this rivalry, however one sided.

He scowls, glaring. Then he glances at the clock on the wall and blinks again, this time in surprise.

“Now,” he says. “Or, well, about two minutes ago.”

“Good,” I say. “Follow me and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

Snow blinks again, this time in confusion. Then he disappears into the back, I assume to collect his things. He takes so long I almost worry he’s gone out some back exit, but right as I’m about to ask the barista he comes out.

We don’t speak while we walk to the park nearby. 

  
  


SIMON

I don’t know what this is.

Baz showed up ten minutes before the end of my shift and abducted me. (Does this count as kidnapping?)(I did go on my own, so maybe not.)

We get to a park a little while away and Baz sits on a bench. It’s an odd sight, him out here. He’s only existed in the shop, to me.

I sit heavily next to him. He sneers, small and less venomous than usual. 

“Why?” I ask.

“Why what?”

“Why all of this?”

Baz sighs and leans back, closing his eyes. He looks so tired, suddenly, like there’s the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Because I’m not your enemy, Snow.”

It makes me remember why I followed him in the first place. I frown. “What did you mean earlier? About Agatha?”

“I’m gay, Snow. I was never flirting with your girlfriend, ex or not.” He says it plainly, matter-of-factly. I guess it is. 

“Oh,” I say stupidly. Then-because he came out to me, because I’m feeling off-set and strange-I tell him, “I’m bi. Er. I like blokes and girls, I mean.”

He stares at me.

  
  


BAZ

Did he just come out to me?

  
  


SIMON

I don’t know what to do now.

I’ve only ever told Penny and Agatha-I didn’t have anyone else to tell-and I don’t know how to react. 

“This was so stupid, wasn’t it?” I blurt. He looks at me raising a brow. “This whole rivalry-slash-enemies thing,” I clarify.

He laughs, short and sharp. “Snow, the rivalry was your idea. I had nothing to do with it.”

Oh. I suppose that’s right, isn’t it. I frown.

“Then what are we?”   
  


“Right now? Nothing, likely. Acquaintances.”

“I don’t want that. I don’t want to not be anything.”

“Why? And how do you propose we change we change that?” he drawls.

“I don’t know,” I say. “And, maybe. Maybe you can give me your mobile number?”

He flashes me a startled look for half a second, then rattles it off. I make a contact for him and text a quick  _ hi _ . His mobile buzzes, but he doesn’t look at it. Instead he stands, 

“Well then, Snow,” he starts. 

“Simon,” I interrupt. “Call me Simon.” He looks at me with an expression I can’t name.

“Well then, Simon,” he says, smiling a little less sharply. “Until we meet again.”

And then he turns on his heel and leaves, walking quickly down the street.

I watch him go, then call Penny to come pick me up.

…

I’m sitting on my bed, only half paying attention to a movie playing on my laptop.

My mobile buzzes next to me. I pick it up, and there’s a text notification waiting.

_ Baz Pitch: Hello, Simon. _

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
